This Video I would say is relevant to our rap music video.
In this video you see the artists friends riding bikes (bmx, mountain bikes) this is shown in our rap video where you see the artist and his friends walking towards the camera.
We also have a shot of the artist and his group walking/riding towards the camera, this was an inspiration for us.
The clothing they used in the video was also similar to our video - saggy black and white clothing.
As you can see in this video it is a low budget rap video that doesnt include wealth, drugs and girls in a typical rap video as i dont think these artists can afford to have all those features. These artists tend to have their friends in the backgrounds and look quite wealthy with expensive clothing
The main influence for us in this video is the massive group of friends shown in this video, you can see that this is a typical area where this artist may have grown up in.
Wiz is walking the streets that he may have walked past day to day back when he was younger. Having this 'friends' in the back ground makes a big contribution to the video, showing different circumstances and mise en scene from each person.
We made sure we had a group of people in the back shots of our music video as this is an important feature.
Basically what this video does is try to imitate an actual rap music video but in a way that the audience would find funny
This video uses lots of low angle shots which is what a rap music video would have, the video also includes a lot of dancing, the dancing is quite stupid and does take the mic a little but some rap videos do include little snips of the artist dancing
Looking at how they use typical rap conventions....
A typical common convention of a rap music video is that it shows the artist illustrious and exotic lifestyles, illustrating the stars daily life style in the videos.
This video goes completely opposite to a normal rap music video, the clothes they are wearing do not fit a typical rap music video, as the clothes are to smart looking.
The setting plays a big part of the rap video because it shows one of the typical places for a rap video to take place.
This video is a video that I enjoyed, I enjoy the instrumental and the lyrics. We watched this video as a group together and it influenced us. The use of the black and white feature stood out to us, we then used this feature in our music video.
I found the editing skills very interesting in the video how they had Kanye rapping/singing with a transparent view of the city layered on top of him in a dissolved way.
Some of the low angle shots Kanye used in his video we were also influenced by
So we then incorporated it into our music video and used some of the shots. For example low angle shots, side shots
The shots that go off looking around and certain parts of the city. This happened in different shots. I particularly noticed a shot where Kanye was in Newyork by the transparent bean, I personally recognised the area. We were influenced by adding shots of the area we were in. This is eve ident in our music video.
Experiencing Music video: 'Aesthetics and Cultural Context'
Vernallis identified four key areas when analysing music videos:
1. Narrative
2.Diegesis
3. Camera movement and shots
4. Editing
Narrative
A music video is a visual response to the song and lyrics not the other way around. The video should support the song lyric meanings but artist should remain dominant. This is to appeal to the audience. There does not need to be a balance between narrative and performance. A Song can have a full narrative or full performance. A lot of the time, performance takes prominence in order to showcase the star.
Diegesis
The world inside the video. This is revealed slowly allowing interventions and a story to develop over time. Repetition is key in music videos because it allows the artiist to get a message across through the concept of quantity. It means they can create a world for their song through the video.
Camera Movement and Shots
Extremes are very common with establishing shots, even if they are extreme close-ups. Music videos try to avoid shots such as mid-shots. Styles of framing and movement run through the video.
Editing
Editing will sometimes match the instruments or beat linking visual images. The audience realise the beat links with visual images and they relate this to other aspects of the video. Music videos constantly break or disrupt the rules of continuity editing.
This video is a song by Justin Timberlake called cry me a river.
This genre is R&B/PoP
This video relates to Carol Vernallis' theory because he talks about the narrative in a music video.
This video Justin wrote about britney spears. In the song the girl cheated on him and it shows the relationship going bad. Justin timberlake then plots revenge, he makes sure the girl finds out that hes moved on with his life and doesnt care about her anymore. To do this he uses a video camera to tape himself getting off with another girl.
Justin sets up the tape so that when the girlfriend comes in she will see the tape.
The girl then gets upset this is where the lyrics of the song comes in 'Cry me a river', the girl knows she screwed up and has lost him forever.
Carol Vernallis' theory is again seen in the Diegesis part.
This is the world inside the video so things that are unreal and that are edited that wouldnt normally happen in real life which creates another world inside the music video. Here are some examples
These dance movements from micheal jackson (intertextual reference) are clearly edited as realistically you cannot hold these positions like this. Clearly this shows the use of editing.
Camera movements and Shots are also mentioned in Carols theory. Relating it to this video we see common shots like establishing shot, extreme close ups and mid shots which run throughout the video. These shots are very common and are used for a purpose.
These are the establishing shots used in the 'cry me a river' music video.
As you can see in this Establishing shot it is a swimming pool of a mansion
Inside the mansion
The entrance doors of the house
Extreme close ups are commonly used a lot in music videos
In his book Dancing in the Distraction Factory Andrew Goodwin points out characteristics and features that can be found in music videos. Looking at a selection of music videos which can be recognised.
1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics (e.g. stage performance in metal videos, dance routines for boy/girl band, aspiration in Hip-Hop).
This is what you would basically expect to see. For example in the image below in a hiphop/rap video you would usually see the crew, expensive jewllery, baggy clothing.
2. There is a relationship between the lyrics and visuals. The lyrics represented with images (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).
For example if the lyrics states something about money, the visual could have physical money for representation. The image underneath is a picture of 50 cent holding money.
3. There is a relationship between the Music and visuals. The tone and atmosphere of the visual reflects that of the music (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).
For example a Happy song can be up beat but an angry song could be quite gloomy.
4. The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style).
This can advertise the artist
5. The is frequently reference to notion of looking (screens within screens, mirrors, stages, etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.
Its basically eye contact with the camera. It creates a link between the person and audience.
6. There are often intertextual reference (to films, tv programmes, other music videos etc).
The Hip-Hop video i will anylise is the
This video is called 'Early in the morning' By Ashanti ft Fench Montanna
The first feature Andrew Goodwin looks at is the Genre characteristics
The first feature i came across when i watched this music video was the close ups of the artists - this a ways of selling the artist and also showing feelings and emotion from the artist.
Expensive possesions can also be seen in hip-hop music videos, for exmaple watches, necklaces, chains. This is an indication of their wealth and is done on purpose.
Women can be a factor in hip-hop videos but usually showed and portrayed as sexual object for men and can also be seen doing sexual movements.
Dancing can also be a typical convention of a hip hop music video.
A singer featuring a rap artist is commonly seen for a colloboration linking both the artists audiences together, this can be good for fan and financial purposes.
2. The second feature mentioned in andrew Goodwins theory is the relationship between the lyrics and visuals. There lyrics are represented with imags.
For example in this music video the lyrics say 'With these thoughts all up in my head'
'Get to the money and it wont stop' These lyrics are represented with this image
'Slick rich chains wit the gold watch' - These lyrics are represented with this image
3. There is a relationship between the music and visuals. The tone and atmosphere of the visual reflects that of the music.
In this music video it is up beat and illustrates the emotions of the artists. The visuals flash in beat with the music and the same point which gives emphasis.
4. In this music video i feel they yse alot of close ups of both artists, this is a well of selling the artist
French Montanna is shown alot with his wealth as well as promoting his voice.
Ashanti is also shown alot in close ups and a lack of clothing which i think also sells and advertises the artist.
5. By creating a link between the person and audience the arist can be seen breaking the fourth wall by looking at the camera and showing scenes that might relate to the audience in their own lives.
